The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-02-26
SENATOR GIBSON

| oGNA kVn UNbNVN
Discusses the Candidacy OF General
Nichols and tho Political Sit-
l>,. uation in tho State.
i The Shreveport Times of last Friday
published the following interview had
by representative of that paper with
Senator Gibson at Washington on the
political situation in this State;
"Senator, have you read the Hol-
llngsworth correspondence, in which
Gov. Nichols is announced es can
didate for the nomination ?"
"Yes, see that Gen. Nichols says
he will accept, il nominated by the
convention of our party. l like the
franEness OF the declaration, and be-
lieve the general will be nominated,
though. of course, his candidacy viii
be strongly resisted by the opposition"
"Who are the leaders OF the oppo-
sition In Louisiana to the adminis.ra-
tion, and who will be -theit candidate
against Nicholls?" -
81 hear there was some talk of
compromise candidate, but this has
been abandoned, as l expected 1t
would be. hear Gov. Samr ID. Nc
Emery and his friends have been very
active, and that he Is the candidate of
| the opposition. The leaders Ut the op-
positionare Senator Euslis, Major Burke
State treasurer, and in control Of the
| Times Democrat, powerful news
paper; Mr.. Houston, State tax col
Iecior. Mr.. Jastremski, one Of the
brightest editors in;the State, and Hon.
III. w. Ogden, speaker of the State
House Of Eepresentatives-all sentle>
men of force aud ability and of con-
summate political sagacity. They are,
I believe, the acknowledged leaders OF
the anti-administration wing of our
party in the State, which possesses a
powerful political following and cons
trolls nearly all the newspapers In the
kciiy OF New Orleans, and many, If
not a majority, in the country, and all
the State and city patronage. That
wing OF the party is througthy organ
lied, moves and acts as one man, and
has many allies" d.
edo you think they will unite in
opposing Nichols ?'
"Yes; they can quickly concentrate
their power in any given direction, and
they will naturally oppose Nichols as
they opposed aud defeated the re elect
ion of Mr.. Jonas to the Senate, and
opposed, but could not defeat, his ap>
pointment as collector of the port Of
New Orleans-and as they also op-
posed aud defeated Gen. Ogden's as.
pirations of the governorship, but
favored his appointment as collector in
opposition to Mr.. Jonas. They were
greatly incensed against me at the
time because I supported Mr. Jonas
for the coiIectorship 1 believe they
have forgiven him, but not me-"
"What course will the friends of the
administration adopt ?'
"I do not know, ] am sure. They
will very naturally antasonize the
movements. of the opponents of Mr.,
Cleveland's administration, and con-
centrate on the strongest candidate.
There are several gentlemen who arc
friends of the administration ana my
friends, any one Of whom / would
have rejofced to sec candidate, but
the people generally who approve
Cievelaud's administration will vote
for Gen. Gicholts, not only on his
own merits, but because he Is the con-
spicuous and outspoken friend of the
national Democratic administration.
They recognize the importance Of the
influence and power and friendship of
the administration in the councils Of
| the party"
aWhat course will the Federal of
cials take? Will not the gentlemen
who sought oflicelthrough you from the
president feel some embarrassment,
should they lend the Office aud infiu-
ence aud patronage 10 the opposition
of the national administration, and its
friends and supporters in Louisiana ?'
"For me, while 1 would not deny
any man his rights and privileges OF
citizenship, confess that l should
like to see the Stale and Federal off,
GERS abstain from attempting to cons
troll the action of their party one way
or another. 1 presume the Federal
| officeholders will naturally sympathize
with the friends OF Mr.. Cleveland and
! his administration"
"Is the opposition to Governor
Nichols more bitter and intense than
It would have been against some other
candidate?"
"No, not q bit OF it. Governor
| Nichols has been out Of Office for
long time, and the intensity of the
opposition to him arises from the ap-
prehension that he is invincible with
the people, and, If his candidacy can
be broken down, the opposition may
succeed. They arc fighting his can
dldecy now merely with that end in